JEREMIAH CHAPTER 22 God sendeth the prophet to court with promises, JEREMIAH 22:1, and threats against the king's house and Jerusalem, JEREMIAH 22:5. The judgment of Shallum, JEREMIAH 22:10; of Jehoiakim, JEREMIAH 22:13; and of Coniah, JEREMIAH 22:20. Some by THE KING OF JUDAH, here mentioned, under... [ Continue Reading ]
None is so great but he is obliged to hear the word of the Lord. The prophet's mentioning him under the notion of him that sat UPON THE THRONE OF DAVID, both minds him of God's faithfulness, who had promised that David should not want one to sit on his throne; and his duty, to walk in the steps of h... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, Administer justice to all your subjects. THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, AND THE WIDOW are particularly named, as persons who have fewest friends, and so are most exposed to the lusts of great men, who have a power to oppress them. Two things are observable: 1. That the terms upon which God... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE DO THIS THING INDEED; if ye will not pretendedly, but really, give to every one their due, and look that inferior magistrates acting under you do so. Then, he doth not say, you shall be saved: the promise is only of a secular, temporal nature, of all prosperity, and continuance of the family o... [ Continue Reading ]
_ By hearing_ the prophet meaneth _hearkening to_ and _obeying_. God accounteth us to hear no more than we practise. If (saith the prophet) you will not _execute judgment_, &c., I give you the greatest assurance imaginable that this noble _house of David shall become a desolation_. The apostle saith... [ Continue Reading ]
Interpreters are not agreed in what sense God saith that THE KING'S HOUSE OF JUDAH was unto him as GILEAD, or THE HEAD OF LEBANON. Gilead was a country fertile for pastures; upon which account the Reubenites and Gadites, being men whose estates lay in cattle, begged it of Moses for their portion, NU... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall not only be edged with their own lusts and malice; but commissioned and influenced by me, and shall come sufficiently prepared for their work. And they shall cut down and burn thy buildings, which are made of goodly cedars.... [ Continue Reading ]
According to God's threatenings, DEUTERONOMY 29:24 1 KINGS 9:8. Though the Jews would not understand that there was a cause, yet others would understand it, and inquire into it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Some shall answer them, or they shall answer one another, Surely it is because they have broken the Divine law, which the Israelites made a covenant, EXODUS 19:8, EXODUS 24:3,7 DEU 5:27, upon which account their sinning was an apostacy, and a forsaking their covenant. Their sinning was not of an ord... [ Continue Reading ]
WEEP not for Josiah your dead prince, for whom there was a great mourning, 2 CHRONICLES 35:25, mentioned MALACHI 12:11. Josiah is happy, you need not trouble yourselves for him; but weep for Jehoahaz, who is to go, or is gone, into captivity: Jehoahaz was set up upon his father's death by the people... [ Continue Reading ]
Who this SHALLUM was is a little doubted. Some think it was Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, 1 CHRONICLES 3:15, called _Johanan_: there is also mentioned one Shallum, but he is there mentioned as the fourth son of Josiah. In the Book of Kings we read only of three sons which Josiah had, viz. Jehoahaz, Je... [ Continue Reading ]
So as he returned no more to see his native country, as is there said. But others think this Shallum was Josiah's fourth son, that Johanan died before his father, and the people made Shallum his youngest son king, calling him Jehoahaz, so as he reigned immediately after Josiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
We have not here any certain guidance to let us know whether the prophet intended Jehoahaz or Jehoiakim; both of them _did evil in the sight of the Lord_, as we read in their story. The sin here reflected upon is manifestly injustice and oppression, but possibly, in the former part of the verse, all... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, Woe to that man, who suffering oppression in his government, or making it his business himself to oppress, yet buildeth himself great houses and large chambers, ceiling them with cedar, promising himself prosperity and splendour, notwithstanding his wicked courses! for otherwise, it is lawf... [ Continue Reading ]
Art thou so vain as to think that brave houses will continue thy kingdom? Thou art mistaken; magnificent buildings are not those things which establish a prince's throne. How was it with thy father? he lived prosperously, yet had no such stately edifices; his throne was established by justice and ju... [ Continue Reading ]
HE JUDGED THE CAUSE OF THE POOR AND NEEDY; by himself in person, for the kings of Israel and Judah often sat personally to judge causes; or by setting such judges as did it, administering justice impartially, particularly to such as in respect of their low condition were most exposed to the power of... [ Continue Reading ]
All that thou lookest after, and that thy heart is set upon, is thy own grandeur and riches. And to make thyself great, thou makest no difficulty to destroy thy subjects that are innocent, and have not deserved death, and to oppress others, using all manner of violence against them. It is not to be... [ Continue Reading ]
JEHOIAKIM THE SON OF JOSIAH KING OF JUDAH; a very bad son of a good father, whose name was Eliakim, by Pharaoh-nechoh turned to Jehoiakim, 2 KINGS 23:34, and by him set up. He reigned wickedly, and infinitely oppressed the people for money for Pharaoh-nechoh, that made him king, 22:35. He reigned bu... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL BE BURIED WITH THE BURIAL OF AN ASS; that is, he shall not be buried at all, or he shall be buried in an indecent and contemptible manner, none attending him to his grave, none mourning for him. The last words of this verse incline some to think that Jehoiakim was buried near to Jerusalem;... [ Continue Reading ]
The Hebrew verb being feminine, lets us know that Jerusalem was the place to which this speech is directed; to the inhabitants of which the prophet here calleth to GO UP TO LEBANON; and _to Bashan_. Both Lebanon and Bashan were hills or places that looked towards Assyria, from whence the Jews looked... [ Continue Reading ]
I, by my prophets, spake to thee while all things went well with thee, so as thou hast not sinned ignorantly or without warning; I have not surprised thee with my judgments, but thou refusedst to hearken and obey my admonitions and precepts. From the time that I brought thee out of the land of Egypt... [ Continue Reading ]
Either a vain hope and presumption shall destroy thy rulers and governors who flatter time with promises of prosperity; or a judgment shall seize them, that shall be like a violent wind, which presently scattereth the clouds and the smoke; or they shall be blasted by my judgments, as plants are blas... [ Continue Reading ]
Jerusalem, which is called an INHABITANT OF LEBANON, either because their houses were built of wood cut down out of the forest of Lebanon, or because they lived in as great plenty and delight as if they lived in Lebanon, or because they thought the mountain of Lebanon was a certain refuge to them. T... [ Continue Reading ]
By CONIAH he meaneth _Jehoiachim_, 2 KINGS 24:8, whose name was _Jeconiah_, 1 CHRONICLES 3:16, (for all Josiah's sons had two names, and so had his grandchild Jeconiah,) here in contempt called _Coniah_. He saith, that though this Coniah were as dear to him as his signet, which every man keepeth saf... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, into the power of the Chaldeans and Babylonians, whom they were afraid of, and justly, for they thirsted after their blood and ruin.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeconiah's mother was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem, 2 KINGS 24:8 JEREMIAH 22:12, the fulfilling of this prophecy is recorded; and it is said that _Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants_, &c., so JEREMIAH 22:15, together... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, they shall never come again to Jerusalem; though they be fond of it as their native country, and may promise themselves such favours from the king of Babylon, yet there shall no such thing be their portion.... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet either speaketh this in the person of God. or of the people, who are here brought in, affirming that this prince, who was the idol of the people, was now, through the just judgment of God, become like a broken idol; or like a vessel which men care not for, being either so cracked, or so... [ Continue Reading ]
By EARTH he either means the land of Judah, to which he calls thrice, to signify the deafness of this people, and unwillingness to hear and believe what God spake by him; or else he calls to the whole earth, as he calls heaven and earth to witness, DEUTERONOMY 30:19, DEUTERONOMY 32:1 ISAIAH 1:2, ISA... [ Continue Reading ]
The word translated CHILDLESS is but thrice read in holy writ, and by various interpreters translated _barren, not increasing, empty, full of sorrow, wanting children_, &c. It is thought to be interpreted by the next words, NO MAN OF HIS SEED SHALL PROSPER, SITTING UPON THE THRONE OF DAVID, AND RULI... [ Continue Reading ]